Moments Like These
by A. Windsor
Summary: Family vignettes featuring the Solos... HL, pure mush... 6th vignette up: "One Helluva a Jedi" Set in a post NJO period AU All 3 Solo kids are alive.
1. Little Monsters, Han's POV

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, George Lucas owns the parents and the children belong to whoever created them (Zahn for the twins, I believe. I don't know who the genius who created my Anakin is… :))

Author's Note: The following will be an indefinitely long series of vignettes of total fluff involving the Solo family. The EU has had a horrifying lack of relationship between the family members, so I kind of had to be creative in the relationships between Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin and their parents.   
  
Hope you all enjoy!   
  
Snapshot One: Little Monsters   
  
Han Solo's Point of View

            It's Salu San, the birthday of some forgotten god-figure of some forgotten race on some forgotten planet. The galaxy has adopted it as the day we all exchange presents and young children wake up at an ungodly hour to see if Salun, the Salu San gremlin, has arrived with goodies. 

We didn't celebrate it much when I was growing up. But Jacen and Jaina, now three, are finally old enough to fully fathom and anticipate the coming of this holiday. 

            Almost as precious as the twins' laughs, smiles, and squeals while opening their presents is my wife's beautiful, adoring smile as they make obvious their approval of the presents "Salun" (we) has chosen for them. They are now exploring their new toys in the living room, as quietly as three year old Jedi twins ever can be, especially when they are Solos and it is Salu San. 

            Anakin got gifts as well, but at eighteen months he does not really understand what is going on. Besides, this year he only seems to want one thing: Mommy. 

            "Here. Anakin, sit here with your brother and sister for a minute while I clean up. Look, what does Jasa have? Will he share with you?"

            "No," Jacen says poutily, pulling the stuffed Ewok away from bright blue eyed Anakin as Leia tries to set him down. "Tries" being the operative word. 

            "Mommy!" our youngest wails, causing more noise this morning than he probably has since he was a colicky newborn.

            "Jacen," she admonishes with a scowl, looking exasperatedly over our stubborn children's heads to me where I am grudgingly helping Threepio clean up after breakfast. Anakin cements his hands in her long, unbound hair and buries his face into her shoulder as she sighingly replaces him on her hip. I try not to grin as she tries to untangle his fingers, sticky from Salu San candy. I can't help but think she is beautifully cute when she is so wound up, especially over _our (hers and mine, who'd a thunk?) devilishly lovable kids. _

            Unfortunately, I am beginning to think Luke is right. 

"Try not. Do, or do not." 

I definitely did not hide my half-smile and she gets even angrier, storming over to me with a now grinning Anakin in her arms.

_Stang_, I love her.

"Relax, sweetheart," I soothe, "He's just got good taste in who he's attached to, that's all. If I had the chance to be around you constantly, I'd pitch a fit to do it, too."

Her eyes soften as she listens to this and watches her beloved baby boy refuse to come to my offered arms with a shake of his dark head and a tightening of his hug. 

"You already have. Still do," she teases, a grin returning to loosen the tightness of her pretty face. "You pitched a fit to marry me and have these little monsters, if I remember correctly."

I return her smile and kiss her quickly as Jaina pipes, "Monsters? Where?"

"Right here," I growl, rushing over and sticking a twin under each arm, "flying" them around the room amidst their gales of laughter.

"We're…Not…Monsters," Jacen says breathlessly between laughs after I've dropped them on the couch.

            "Oh, yes, you are," I assure them with a tickle on each tummy.

            "Nuh-huh! Where our claws, 'den?"

            "Yeah. Or fangs?" Jacen backs up his sister's question with his own and a bearing of teeth to go along with Jaina's extended hands.

            "Right there," Leia answers from beside me as I stand over them, motioning to their exhibited body parts. "Can't you see them?"

            "No!" they squeal in unison. 

            "Oh, they're very big and scary! Bigger than Uncle Chewie's!" Leia continues, making her voice even more captivating as she leans closer (Anakin is still on her hip) and kisses each on the forehead. 

            "Ew!" Jaina cries, "You kissed mon-i-sters!"

            "Yuck-yuck!" Jacen grins.

            "So now you see the claws and fangs?"

            "No!" they object again.

            "What about you, buddy?" I ask Anakin, who gives me a tiny-toothed grin as I wink at him. "Can you see the claws and teeth on your siblings? Can ya?"

            "Yeah!" he shouts, squeezing Leia's waist tighter with his legs as he lets go to throw his hands in the air for effect.

            "No!" the twins continue to giggle, rolling all over each other in laughter.

            "What about you, Uncle Luke? Can _you_ see Jaina and Jacen's fangs and claws? They're monsters."

            Luke, who has just entered the disaster area, puts on his very best solemn face. "Yes, I'm afraid I can see them. This is very serious…"

            "Unca Luke!" they scream, leaping up and scrambling over to throw themselves at his waist. Anakin fusses to finally be put down and totters over to wait his turn impatiently.

            "They're Skywalker-Solos; they're genetically destined to be a handful," I grin gently as I wrap my arms around my princess's waist from behind and kiss the top of her head. "Good thing they're cute like their parents."

            She laughs and relaxes against me as we watch them climb all over their uncle, shouting things like "We not monsters!"

            I love her most of all on mornings like this, without the Republic worrying and busying her. This is Leia, not that woman that the rest of the galaxy sees on the Holonet. All she's really needed all of these years is a family. I am more than happy to oblige. I just want her to be happy.

            Anakin is bored with his uncle now and interrupts our kiss with a tug on my pants and her skirts, whining for his beloved to hold him again. 

            A princess and a guy like me? Hell yeah! Thank the Force. We've even got little demons to prove it. 


	2. Splish Splash! Leia's POV

            We don't take enough vacations. This is our first _real_ vacation since the twins were barely old enough to remember and Anakin barely walking. Jaina and Jacen are eight years old now; Anakin is six and a half. 

            "Mom! Look at this!" Jacen cries out, his bare feet slapping on the wet sand as he runs up from the breaking waves to where I sit on a blanket. I push up the front of my wide-brimmed sun hat to get a better look at his newest discovery. I have a bad feeling it is slimy and alive.

            "Isn't it cool, Mom?" he asks, his still slightly chubby cheeks flushing with excitement and his brandy brown eyes sparkling with wonder.

            "What is it?" I question, wrinkling my nose at its briny scent. 

            "I dunno," he shrugs, pulling it closer to his face in order to study the slug-like creature. 

            "Kinda looks like Jabba," Han says suddenly, making Jacen and I jump at his surprise arrival. Jaina, Anakin, and their father had rented a little water swoop and gone buzzing around the broad bay that stretches out in front of us. They look more than a little windblown now as my oldest son and I survey them. Wisps fly from Jaina's disheveled braid, giving her a halo of light brown hair. Han and Anakin have messy hair that Anakin struggles to smooth down now as he notices I am looking at him. His cheeks and nose are pinked by the sun. His skin is much fairer than his siblings', like mine.

            "What happened to your cap?" I inquire over his missing sun-protection.

            His cheeks flush brighter red and he looks down at his little toes. I know he won't give me a straight answer, as cute as he is, and so I level a gaze at his big sister and dad, the dynamic duo of trouble. 

            "Well," Jaina starts, shuffling her feet in the dry, cool sand under our sun umbrella. "You see, there was this big, powerful Sienar WakeMaker 3000 and it made tons of these _huge_ waves. And Dad…"

            "Well, I put us on full throttle through the whole mess of waves," my husband chuckles guiltily with that endearing half-smile I fell in love with so long ago. I struggle to keep my expression stern now as he lays his hands on my shoulders and kneels behind me on the big blanket.

            "And we almost flipped!" Jaina announces excitedly, eliciting a gasp from me. "It was soooooo cool, Mom!"

            "But thanks to my expert piloting, we didn't flip. Anakin's cap, though, was a casualty of our adventure," Han finishes, gently squeezing my shoulders.

            "Sorry, Mom," my youngest son apologizes, his toes scooping up and dropping the tiny grains.

            "That's okay, Anakin," I smile. "It's your father's fault anyway." I nudge Han with my shoulder as he opens his mouth to protest.

            Anakin giggles and climbs into my lap. He's always been a bit of a Mama's boy. 

            "Whoa, Jasa! What's it doing?" Jaina exclaims, taking a step back from her brother as the Jabba-like organism begins to quiver and squirm in his hand. 

            "I'm not sure. It looks scared. Maybe your face frightened it."

            "Ha. Ha," Jaina sneers in return.

            "Be nice, you two," Han scolds lightly, coming closer to Jacen with an inquisitive hazel stare. "Maybe you should put Jabba back, Jace."

            Anakin's brow furrows over his pretty ice blue eyes, but he does nothing more than lean forward a little, his small hands resting on my knees.

            "Careful, Jasa!" he cries out just as the slug squirts Jay, Jace, and Han.

            I snort a little at their purple-goo-splattered, shocked faces. The quiet boy in my lap chuckles, leaning back again and looking over his shoulder at me. 

            "I told 'em, Mom." 

            "I know you did, sweetie," I grin, giving him a hug. "Uncle Luke would be proud."

            He smiles like the Solo he is and returns his attention to his dad and siblings. 

            "Maybe you should go rinse off in the water," I suggest, "It doesn't hurt, does it?"

            "No," Han grumbles cutely, kicking the dropped slug with his toe. "Just as annoying as Jabba, too, Jace. Maybe we would name it the "Jabba slug". Sound good, Jay?"

            "Yeah," Jaina mumbles, wiping the violet mess from her eyes. 

            "Maybe Mom should kill it."

            "No!" Jacen cries, scooping it up again and shoving it in the pocket of his burgundy trunks.

            The group trudges off towards the breakers, pride wounded.

            "Will you go supervise for me, Anakin?"

            "Sure," he nods, lifting himself up.

            "Wait. Here," I call, tossing him the extra cap I brought, knowing my absent-minded genius would lose his. He smiles and pushes the khaki hat over his bowl-cut dark hair, brushing his bangs out of his icy eyes. 

            "Thanks, Mom."

            I never expected to be a mother, but watching my three darlings makes me very happy that Han convinced me back on Tatooine. 

            "You guys keep me around for a reason, Anakin," I smile back as he turns to run off. 

            He winks like his father.

            Down at the water, Han and the twins are splashing around, greeting Anakin with a torrent of water that makes his light hat as dark as his dark khaki swimming trunks. He responds by trying to tackle his dad, throwing his short arms around his waist. Han picks him up with a deep laugh and spins him around. Moments like this, when I love Han more than I ever though possible, are why Han wanted a family; he is a wonderful father.

            He whispers something in our youngest's ear and mischievous Anakin looks like he nods in agreement, glancing up at me as Han sets him down and he whispers in each of his siblings' ears. 

            Uh-oh.

            The three of them run up the beach as fast as their little legs will carry them.

            "Time for you to take a swim, Mom," Jaina starts with a devilish grin, her hands on her hips.

            "Oh no, not now," I protest, just in time for Han to scoop me up from behind, Jacen and Anakin trying to "help" and Jaina running to keep up as they rush towards the water.

            Oh no.

            "Han Solo! You scoundrel! Put me down!"

            "You like scoundrels, remember?"

            "It's genetic!" I grumble. "I told you; I like nice men!"

            He drops me in the water, the coolness more welcome than I was expecting. Until the cold wave comes and drenches me, sweeping away my hat. 

            "I'm a nice man," he is grinning when I look up at him. 

            In the spray of the waves, all four of them are grinning at me with identical smirks. 

            "How's the water, Mom?" Jaina asks cheekily, picking up my soaking straw hat and putting it on her head, her hair now totally out of its braid and hanging stringy with water.

            "Anakin and I are pretty strong, huh, Mom?" Jacen pipes up as the brothers and Han 'flex' their bare 'muscles', complete with 'manly' grunts. Anakin further proves his strength by offering to help me up, pushing up the bill of his cap. I grab both of his hands and pull him down on top of me, capturing him. 

            "Was this your idea?" I ask faux-menacingly, knowing very well it was my darling husband's. 

            "No, ma'am!" he squeals in delight as I tickle him. "This time was Dad's. Get the nerf herder!"

            I laugh and let him up as Han extends his hand and a cocky smirk. 

            "I hate you," I assure him as he helps me to my feet and wraps his arms around me, pulling me close and still making my heart beat faster. 

            "I know," he continues to smirk, leaning in to capture my lips. 

            "Aw, yuck!" our children cry in perfectly practiced unison.

            How do they think they got here?


	3. A Lot More Patience, Mara's POV

            I didn't realize when I married Luke that I was marrying the Solo children as well. I have never seen myself as much of a kid person, but their Solo grins could melt the coldest heart. 

            "Aunt Mara, watch this!" Anakin cries, leaping off of the side of the natural swimming pool on Yavin 4 and pulling his legs up to his chest. The resulting splash rocks his older sister who floats on a raft, soaking up the light of the sun. She and Jacen have just turned eleven and she is starting to see herself as much more mature than her male siblings. 

            "Anakin!" she objects, indignation in her voice. 

            "Nice splash, Anakin," I praise as he turns an expectant blue look at me. His eyes are a lot like Luke's, but so much more searching and inquisitive with an otherworldly intelligence. 

            "Thanks, Aunt Mara," he grins, ducking under the water to escape his raging sister. 

            "Aunt Mara? When are Uncle Luke and Mom and Dad coming back?" Jacen pipes up, looking up from the creature he is studying. He is perched on a rock in the middle of the spring, poking and prodding a glass snake gently.

            Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that the Fab Four (Luke, Chewie, Han, and Leia) have left me in charge of the little rascals for two days while they go to some conference.

            Babysitting Aunt Mara… That's a new one.

            "They're coming back this afternoon," I answer.

            "If the _Falcon's still running," Jaina giggles, splashing her twin brother and causing him to stumble off of the rock. _

            "Ouch, Jaya!" he cries, coming up for air and shaking out his curly hair.

            Anakin laughs and pulls himself up onto the rock. "She'll hold together, Jaina. We helped fix her ourselves, remember?" 

            "Well, that's scary," I add teasingly. "Maybe we should take my ship out for them."

            "Yeah! Can we drive?" Jaina asks, rolling off of the raft and going to stand with Anakin. 

            "She'll never let you two fly," Jacen says wisely. "She _likes her ship."_

            "_Maybe when you can see over the control panel," I laugh, watching Jacen scramble back onto the rock. _

            Anakin and Jaina grumble in discontent.

            "Are you gonna come in, Aunt Mara?"

            "Yeah, you must be pretty hot," Anakin echoes his sister. Jacen tries not to look guilty. 

            Uh oh.

            "No, I'm fine guys, thanks," I say, backing away from their mischievous smiles.

            Then they dump a Force-powered wave on my head, soaking me thoroughly and amusing themselves to no end. 

            Han Solo should never have reproduced, especially with a Skywalker Jedi.

            But it is that Skywalker in them that has them almost immediately beside me, dry towels in hand. 

            "Thanks," I can't help but smile. "You guys've really been practicing, huh?"

            Twin pairs of brandy brown orbs and a pair of ice blue are leveled at me and nodding. I shake my head and feel their parents and my husband approaching through the jungle.

            "Guys!" Leia calls out as she sees me, hiding a laugh. "What've you done to poor Aunt Mara?"

            "Mom!" they all cry in unison, rushing to their parents. Anakin beats the twins to their mother, throwing his short arms around her waist. The interaction between Leia and Anakin has always been the most surprising to me; I didn't expect the young boy to be such a Mama's boy and Leia to be so very doting. The twins hug their dad and uncles (Luke and Chewie), finally getting to greet their mom when Anakin eventually lets go.

            Chewie growls his disapproval of Anakin's wet manner before setting the youngest Solo on his shoulder.

            "You okay?" Han asks with a smirk, tousling Jaina's wet hair and laying a hand on her shoulder. Jacen is jabbering to his uncle about how they worked together to create the wave.

            "Fine," I answer with a shrug, starting to dry off. "Remind me why we teach them how to use their abilities?" I lock each of them with a menacing glare. They each return a guilty smile. 

            "How were they otherwise? They didn't give you too much trouble, did they?" Leia asks, picking up nine year old Anakin's discarded cap and throwing it up to his perch. He smiles sheepishly and replaces it, casting a shadow over his sun-burned nose.

            "They were angelic," I respond with more than a little sarcasm. "No, really, Leia, they were on perfect behavior until they drenched me. I think we had fun."

            "Yeah," Jaina agrees, pulling her dad back towards the temples. "Aunt Mara was gonna let me fly the _Sabre."_

            "Was not," Anakin corrects as Chewie follows them. "You're making that up."

            "Thanks, Mara," Leia smiles appreciatively, laying a hand on my shoulder. "I don't think we could've kept up with them."

            "Any time," I smile in return, strangely enough meaning it. We had a very fun two days.

            "Careful. She'll hold you to that and we'll have them all the time," Luke laughs, finally disengaging from conversation with his elder nephew and sending Jacen and Leia back towards the temples.

            "It sounds like it was a pretty impressive Force push, though," he continues.

            I roll my eyes, toweling out my hair. "Were you this much trouble as a kid?"

            "No," he laughs, "That's the Solo in them, I'm sure. Winter tells me Leia was pretty mischievous as a kid, though."

            "And you still let them procreate?"

            "You've seen them together. Do you think I could've stopped them?"

            I join his laughter, knowing he has a point. "They're fun though. Don't think I could survive being their parent…"

            "Han and Leia have a lot more patience than any of us give them credit for…"


	4. Mama's Boy, 3rd Person POV

            "Four years old today, Anakin. You're getting so big."

            The sleeping boy does not stir, continuing to snore softly against his mother's chest. It has been a long day for the young heir to the Skywalker legacy. Uncle Luke and Uncle Lando showed up to help celebrate his birthday, planning to give him his first trip to the HoloFunWorld on one of Coruscant's further moons. They had to take a rain check, though, because the boy wouldn't go without his mother. 

            "I'm sorry that I'm not around enough, buddy," his mother continues to whisper into his ear, though she knows she is talking to herself. Her hectic, political job kept her from accompanying him on the proposed daytrip and tied her up all day. As if Han's accusing sighs hadn't been enough to expound her tenfold guilt, Anakin's open blue eyes had spoken volumes of his hurt. It was as if that wide-eyed look soaked up every emotion she was feeling, processed it, understood it, and still felt betrayed. 

            Those soul-searching eyes are closed now, perfectly, unimaginably content to be in his mother's arms, sitting on the couch of their Coruscant apartment.

            "Your world is full of new discovery and new life. Every day you learn and grow. I'm sorry I miss so much. I want to be here, Anakin. Do you know that?"

            "He knows," a deep voice answers for the sleeping boy. "Anakin knows everything there is to know about you. Sometimes I think he knows you better than I do. You're his hero. You know what he said when I told him you couldn't come home?"

            "Did he cry?" Leia asks guiltily, looking up from her baby to her husband.

            "Nope. His face fell, but then he put on this 'diplomatic' face he must've picked up from you. 'Dat's kay,' he said, 'I have my birthday tomorrow.' He wouldn't let us open presents or eat the special dinner or anything."

            The Princess of Alderaan, who isn't known to be quick to tears, wipes the moisture from her eyes and kisses the top of Anakin's dark head. 

            "I already told Winter that I wouldn't be coming in at all tomorrow. It's not fair to him. How can he be so selfless? He's four!"

            "He's just copying his mom. He's a really smart kid. It's almost scary."

            "What if he turns out to be as powerful as Luke says he is?" There is a hint of fear in her voice. Solo knows exactly what she fears; by all accounts their youngest son's namesake was a child prodigy. This Anakin has already shown signs of greatness. The whole galaxy knows what happened to the first Anakin.

            "He has all of us to teach him the difference between right and wrong. We just gotta raise him and Jaina and Jacen as best we can and hope for the best."

            She lets out a small sigh. "Things were easier when they couldn't talk or walk. They are growing up so fast."

            "Yeah, but they're loads of fun now that they can hold a conversation. They're all smart, and that means they're smart asses. And we better enjoy it while they still think we're cool. Wait about five years and the twins'll think we're the lamest people in the galaxy. I think you're safe with him, though." Han sits down next to his wife and son. "I think he'll always think you hang the stars. Like I said, he gets you. Guess I'll have to be the bad guy."

            She smiles, first at Anakin and then at her husband. "He thinks you're pretty cool, too. I have no idea what he's talking about when he starts going about mechanics. You're his hero, too."

            "For now," Han snorts with a grin, meeting the Princess's gaze. "But soon big Jedi Master Uncle Luke'll be cooler, 'cuz he gets 'im."

            "Well, you're still my hero," Leia assures him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "And I'll always think you're 'cool'. Even if you're a little scruffy looking."

            "Hey, who's scruffy-lookin'?" Han smirks, brushing a hand over his wife's cheek and kissing her lips. 

            Anakin shifts and whimpers in his mommy's lap, murmuring under his breath as he settles back down and resituates his head on his mother's chest. His parents laugh silently. 

            "Did he just say 'No, Uncle Chewie. You're too smelly!'?" Han whispers. 

            Leia chuckles and nods, sighing contently.

            "Maybe we should put him to bed," Han says. 

            "I'll tuck him in," the young mother answers, trying to stand. "Oof. He's getting too big for me to carry. What are we feeding him?"

            "Good old-fashioned Corellian fare," Han chuckles, helping her to her feet. "He likes to help me in the kitchen. Unfortunately, he's inherited his mother's culinary skills."

            He gets a light elbow for that one before she walks off to put Anakin in his bed.

            "Happy Birthing Day," he grins to her back, saving himself. 

            She can't help but return his smile over her shoulder.

*~*~*

            "Mom! Mom! Get up! Get up!" Jacen's voice penetrates the sanctity of Leia's dreams. 

            The princess groans and opens her eyes slowly to find two pairs of brown orbs identical to hers staring down.

            "C'mon, Mom!" Jaina echoes.

            "Come on where?" Leia grumbles, blinking away the sunlight filtering through the window.

            "We gotta get goin'. Anakin's birthday stuff!" Jaina continues, joining her twin in shaking the bed. 

            "Where _is your brother?"_

            "Sleepyhead's still snoring," Jacen giggles. "Daddy said we'll get him up all together."

            "Oh, Daddy sent you in, did he?" She hides a grin as she focuses on her husband's teasing face in the doorway.

            "Yeah. Let's go!" Jaina cries, reaching for her mother's hand and trying to pull her out of bed.

            "Okay, okay. I'm getting up," Leia laughs, playfully pushing the twins off of her and swinging her legs out from under the sheets. 

            The twins run ahead to wait in front of their brother's door. 

            "Good morning, Daddy," Leia grins, pausing to plant a kiss on Han's lips. 

            "Ew, c'mon!" Jacen stage-whispers as Han's hands slip around Leia's waist.

            "Time to wake him up?" Jaina asks, her hand hovering over the lock opening.

            "Wake who up?" a tiny voice questions as the door slides open to reveal the sleep-tousled form of Anakin Solo, brown hair sticking up at random places and little toes encased in footed pajamas. He rubs the sleep out of his blue eyes with the incoherence of a tired little boy and then scans the faces of his family inquisitively. 

            "You," his mother smiles as she approaches him and smoothes his messy hair. He half-grins up at her and swipes at his mouth with the back of his hand. "Since you didn't have a good birthday yesterday, today's your new special day."

            "Will you go to HoloFunWorld?"

            "You have me all to your self today," she assures him. He embraces her waist enthusiastically. 

            "Thanks, Mom."

            "C'mon, Anakin! Dad, Jace, and I made breakfast! Uncle Chewie and Threep helped, a little."

            "They cleaned up the mess your sister made when she forgot the lid to the blender," Han teases, hoisting his younger son into his arms. "Don't worry, champ. I made sure it's edible."

            "My favorite?" Anakin asks, his eyes widening excitedly at "blender."

            "Yeah! It's your favorite," Jacen answers. "We made it special for you."

            Han and Anakin lead the procession into the kitchen with Jaina and Jacen pulling their mom along by their grips on her hands.

            Once in the kitchen, quiet Anakin begins to softly dictate where everyone is to sit, leaving room for Skywalker and Calrissian at the request of his dad.

            "You sit here, Uncle Chewie," he orders in his soft voice, laying a hand on the chair he is speaking of. Chewbacca barks his agreement and tousles Anakin's cowlicky hair. When he's seated everyone, he crosses his arms over his small chest and surveys his handiwork. 

            "Where are you going to sit, Master Anakin?" Seethreepio asks as tactfully as possible. Threepio treads softly around the young machine whiz-kid for fear of being dismantled or reprogrammed. 

            The boy thoughtfully looks around the table, full except for his missing uncles' seats. 

            "Right here," he says with four year old confidence as he climbs into his mother's lap. "This okay, Mommy?"

            "Wonderful, darling," Leia smiles, kissing the top of his head. He looks up to return her kiss. "Happy Belated Birthday, Anakin."

            Stealing the phrase from his parents, he returns, "Happy Belated Birthing Day, Mom."

            The twins groan and mutter their complaints about their brother's 'goody-two-shoes'-ness before Chewie growls them into silence and smiles at the youngest Solo boy.

            There's nothing wrong with being a Mama's boy.


	5. Homecoming, 3rd person POV

The Solo twins had long ago fallen asleep on each other in the waiting room of the medcenter. Slumped in on each other and sharing a chair that was much too big for them, they snored away. For the first time since their father's capture, they were blissfully unaware of the worry and tension that settled around their family.

Chewbacca the Wookiee found Han Solo a few days ago, but the twins' father had been in a bacta tank ever since being returned to Coruscant.

In the seats across from the twins, Jaina and Jacen's younger brother Anakin sat in his mother's lap, his blue eyes rimmed with red. At five, he barely understood what was going on, but his connection to his mother fed him pain, worry, and grief that were too much for a youngster to comprehend. His tears were the tears Leia wanted to continue crying, but forced herself to hold back for the sake of those around her.

_Han is safe. He is going to be fine_, she repeated to herself over and over, rocking Anakin in time with her repetitive thoughts.

Being a boy not prone to words, Anakin said little and instinctively sent comfort to his mother. But he was confused. Uncle Chewie had brought his father back! So why couldn't he see him?

Suddenly, Jaina sat bolt upright, her brown eyes widening as she shook the sleep away from her mind. His resting place gone, Jacen's head dropped to the arm rest, the jolt awakening him with a start.

_Jaya_ He sent naturally through their bond, not noticing the confused looks his mom and brother were giving the pair.

_It's Dad! _Jaina sent back. _He's awake!_

Like Anakin was more empathetic to Leia's thoughts and emotions, Jaina shared a unique bond with their father. Jacen was equally close to both of his parents.

"What's wrong, Jaina?" Leia asked, setting Anakin to his feet and coming over to sit next to the seven year old girl, running a maternal hand over her sleep-sodden face and smoothing her ruffled hair.

"Nothing," Jaina smiled, "Dad's okay!"

Anakin smiled as he felt his mother's relief wash over them both. Leia kissed each of the twins on the cheek with a smile and then reached out to brush Han's mind, a presence she could easily sense and recognize after all of these years. Her search confirmed Jaina's excited exclamation and immediately afterward, a young Bothan doctor pushed open the old-fashioned swinging doors to confirm it again.

"Madame President?" he started.

The twins hurried to their feet, burrowing their hands in the sides of their mother's skirts and sharing a smile. Leia lifted Anakin onto her hip and kissed the top of his head.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Your husband has been taken out of the bacta tank and is asking for his children. He has fully recovered, but should take it easy for the next few days."

Jaina giggled; her daddy never 'took it easy.'

"I said I wanted to see my family!" a familiar voice bellowed as the doors swung open again. "I didn't mean in a few minutes; I meant now!"

"Dad!" all three Solo children cried at once, the twins disentangling themselves from their mother and burying their faces in their father's midsection as they embraced him.

Leia smiled and fought off her happy tears. He did look recovered; the scars were still a little visible, but faint, and there were still dark circles under his eyes, but the fire had returned to his hazel orbs.

"Look at you rascals!" he beamed, pushing the hair out of their faces so he could study the features he thought he might never see again. "Have you two grown?"

"Just me, Dad," Jaina grinned. "Jacen's one centimeter shorter."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

Han chuckled and quelled their bickering. It was good to see not too many things changed while he was away.

"Okay, okay, you two." He leaned down and pulled each one in for an individual hug, kissing each cheek. "I missed you guys."

The twins shared one of the looks that meant they were sharing a private conversation.

"Hey, care to share with your old man?"

They smiled at each other and squeezed him again together.

"Talking about how much we love you, Dad," Jacen answered into his father's neck.

Han blinked away his tears. "Okay, okay, you lovable troublemakers. Let me go see your mom and brother."

They let go and followed behind him as he went to his wife and younger son, never letting him more than half a meter away from them.

Smiling like she had the night after Endor, Leia transferred Anakin to his father's arms with a knowing smile at Han.

"Hey buddy," Han grinned widely, surveying his son's tear-stained face. "Did you miss me?"

Anakin nodded vehemently, burying his face in Han's shoulder and flinging his arms around his neck.

"Hey there. Did you take care of your mom for me? That's your job, y'know."

Anakin pulled back and smiled, meeting his dad's eyes, hazel and blue coming to a new understanding. Anakin had always communicated more with his eyes than his mouth.

"I tried, Daddy," he answered honestly.

"Then you did good," Han laughed, tickling Anakin lightly so he let out a loud laugh and shook his dark head. "Do any good puzzles while I was gone?"

"Oh yeah," Anakin nodded excitedly, fishing in his small pockets. "Look. Winter gave me this one. This goes here. And this red thing goes here. It took me a whole hour to get this one!"

Han's eyes widened in surprise at his five-year-old prodigy. The holo-puzzle looked like it would've taken the father days.

"Stop gettin' so smart!" Han objected teasingly, embracing the boy again and then setting him on the ground to join his siblings.

"Hey Princess," he then grinned cockily at his wife. "Was he lying? Did he take good care of you or did he spend all his time on those puzzles of his?"

"Nerf-herder," Leia tried in vain to suppress a grin as Han swept her off of her feet and spun her around. She didn't know where he was getting this strength; the bacta must have really worked.

"What a wonderful homecoming!" he teased as he set her down again, "I get back and I'm insulted. Does that sound fair, kids?"

"Nuh-huh," the twins shook their heads. Anakin agreed and joined their giggles.

"Well, you _were_ the one who disappeared on us," Leia mock-admonished, keeping the tone light.

He put on his best 'Who? Me?' face. "It's not my fault!"

"It's never your fault," she assured him, pulling his head down for a passionate "welcome home" kiss.

Wisely, the kids withheld their "eww"s, but still made faces their parents couldn't see.

When they broke apart, Han leaned his forehead against hers.

"I almost lost you," she whispered, the emotion stinging her eyes again.

"No such luck, sweetheart. You guys are stuck with me," he responded, pulling her against him so she rested her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and said softly in her ear, "I love you and I'm okay now."

"I know," Leia sniffled, recomposing herself and hugging him closer. "Can we go home now?"


	6. One Helluva Jedi, 3rd Person POV

**Snapshot 6: One Helluva Jedi**

**Third Person POV**

Pushing red blond hair from his gray eyes, the small boy snuck out of his room, careful that his bare feet made no noise on the carpet. One would never guess that this mischievous boy, dressed in X-wing spattered long johns, was heir to the Skywalker dynasty. In fact, this little boy really could care less about dynasties and being a Skywalker. He'd really prefer, actually, to be a Solo. Because, the five year old reasoned, his Solo cousins had all the fun. His Solo cousins went on all sorts of adventures and fought all sorts of bad guys. They carried lightsabers and flew X-wings. They averted disaster on many occasions. And, most importantly, _they_ didn't have bed times.

Nope, no bed times for them. Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin, being adults, got to stay up as late as they wanted and didn't have to deal with a certain redhead if they misbehaved. Now that just wasn't fair.

So really, who could blame little Ben for sneaking out of his room to spy on his hero-cousins? If they got to have all the fun, all of the time, couldn't he have some of the fun some of the time? And that was just exactly what he planned to do.

Tonight was the perfect night. His parents and Uncle Han and Aunt Leia were out for dinner and some other adult stuff. Mommy told him, but it sounded boring so Ben shut her out. The only thing he registered was that his cousins would be babysitting him. He had been so excited!

Anakin had come over first, in the early afternoon, and the twins had come around dinner time. Ben was thankful for that because Anakin certainly couldn't cook or even operate any of the machinery in the kitchen. Nevertheless, he and Anakin (who he had to admit was his favorite cousin) had had a wonderful time playing X-wings and TIE fighters with his models and staging lightsaber battles with the cleaning droid's removable extension arms. Ben had asked to hold Anakin's real lightsaber (which had the coolest purple blade) but the older cousin had declined.

When the twins got there, Jacen made dinner while Jaina joined Anakin and Ben in the young Skywalker's room to tinker with the spare parts he collected. With his older cousins' help, Ben created a model of the _Millennium Falcon_ from scrap metal. It even flew by itself! Ben couldn't wait to show Uncle Han. __

They finished the model after dinner and that's when the disappointing part came. Ben had thought his cool cousins would be a bit lenient with his bed time, since they were so fun and flexible. Unfortunately that had not been the case. So, with promises of exciting stories and no lullabies, the Solos marched Ben up to bed.

Ben was wowed by his brave cousins' adventures and the bad guys they brought to justice. They denied his request for more after five, tucked him in, said their goodnights and "I love you"s and left him to sleep.

Silly cousins. Did they really expect him to sleep after their exciting stories while they got to stay up? For such awesome heroes, they really needed to learn some common sense.

So out of his bed he quietly rolled and crept down the hallway to where it opened up with a view into the living room. As silently as possible, he stuck his head between two of the railing posts and strained his young ears to hear their conversation.

It was pretty quiet down there. Jacen was cleaning up in the kitchen, Jaina was reading something on a datapad, and Anakin appeared to be meditating with his back towards Ben.

So this is what big, bad heroes did after Ben's bedtime? Seemed pretty boring to him. In fact, the young Jedi's dreams were a lot better than sitting around in silence. Maybe bed time wasn't so bad after all.

Making up his mind, Ben turned crawl back to his room.

Uh-oh. He had a problem.

"Ben, I know you're there," came Anakin's voice moments after Ben realized his predicament.

Oh no.

"Ben," Jaina laugh-sighed as she looked up from her reading. "What did we say about bedtime?"

Ben looked from side to side, struggling for a way to get out of this.

"That it was silly?" Ben tried to stall.

"Ben… Go back to bed. Your mom's not going to let us come over and hang out if we don't get you into bed on time," Anakin said.

"_Trying_, Anakin," Ben murmured.

"What's wrong, buddy?"

"I'm stuck," Ben cried in frustration as his pushing on the bars of the railing proved futile. "Really, really stuck."

Jaina snorted quietly and Jacen put his hands to his face, mumbling something about Skywalker genes.

Anakin chuckled quietly. "Okay, okay. Sit tight. We'll figure something out."

"We better," Jacen piped in. "Or Aunt Mara is going to skew us with her lightsaber and serve us for dinner."

At that thought, Ben couldn't help but giggle. Mommy sure would…

"Uh, hurry, guys. I can't feel my ears," Ben announced.

"That's not good," Jaina said, leaping to her feet and up the stairs. "Okay, Ben. Let's see if some extra strength helps."

She grabbed him by the shoulders and tugged.

Ben's head didn't budge.

"Nice try."

"Hey, watch it, smart aleck," Jaina admonished, scruffing his hair.

"What if we cut the bars?" Jacen offered.

"I'd rather destroy as little of Aunt Mara's property as possible," Anakin reasoned.

"Good point," Jaina seconded.

"But aren't you two supposed to be able to fix anything?"

"Fix it so it works? Yes. Fix it so Aunt Mara doesn't know we got her beloved son's head stuck in the railing? Maybe not."

"Hey, we didn't get his head stuck. He did that all on his own," Jaina replied, roughing Ben's hair again.

"Sorry!" Ben cried in exasperation, struggling against the posts again.

"Whoa, cool it there, little man. How about something slippery?" Anakin brainstormed.

"Soap!" Ben agreed.

"Right. I'll get it," Anakin said, mounting the stairs two at a time and darting into the bathroom. He emerged moments later with liquid soap in hand.

He and Jaina slathered Ben's head while Jacen came behind cleaning up spills.

"Okay on the count of three. You count, buddy."

"One… Two… Three!"

Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin tugged in unison. All four Skywalker cousins fell into a gasping heap on the hall floor, Ben on top.

"Nice work," Ben commented breathlessly.

"Good idea, little brother," Jaina sighed, nudging the tall figure laying to her right.

"Thanks, Jaya," Anakin gasped.

"Okay, Ben, time for bed for real this time," Jacen said, climbing to his feet.

"Right," Ben said. "Thanks guys."

"No problem. But how about we make a pit stop in the bath tub to clean you up a little while Jaina cleans up here?" Anakin suggested.

"Wow, thanks, boys."

"No problem," Ben mimicked his number one hero.

"Little rascal," Jaina grinned, giving the boy a hug. "Don't tell your mom about this one, okay?"

"Got it.'

The boys proceeded into the bathroom. Ben stripped down and hopped into the warm bath water Anakin drew for him while Jacen disposed of the soapy pajamas in favor of fresh ones.

Ben was toweling off and climbing into his pjs when he heard the front door begin to open.

"Red alert!" Jacen whispered from the doorway.

"Go stall!" Anakin said back. "C'mon, Ben."

As Jacen hurried down the stairs to help Jaina hold Ben's parents back, Anakin and Ben crept into the hallway, making as little noise as possible with help from Anakin's trained Force ability. They were less than a meter out when they heard footsteps on the first step.

"I'll go. Make a run for the bed!" Anakin whispered.

Ben nodded in agreement.

Anakin stood up straight and went to meet his aunt and uncle on the steps.

"Aunt Mara! Uncle Luke!" He flashed a Solo grin. "I was just checking on little Ben. He is sound asleep. Snoring his way to dream land."

"Mmhmm," Mara started, her face telling Anakin she didn't quite believe him. "We'll just go check in."

Anakin stepped aside to let them past, hoping Ben had made it into bed and was pretending to be asleep. He followed Ben's parents into the room to be sure.

Sure enough, there was little Ben Skywalker sleeping as innocently as a babe. Or at least appearing to. Luke and Mara each gave him a kiss and then headed back out, thanking Anakin.

As Anakin turned to go, he saw a little gray eye wink at him in the dark.

"'Night, little man," Anakin grinned. "You're gonna make one helluva Jedi someday."


End file.
